use the straight edge of a notched trowel to spread thinset adhesive. then, using
the notched edge of the trowel, comb ridges into the adhesive. as you apply and
comb adhesive, try to stop just short of the layout lines so you don’t obscure them.
in theory, you can start setting tiles anywhere, but it’s usually best to start
where the control lines meet and work out toward the walls. that way, you know
that tile joints in the middle of the room—which are the most visible—will line up.
Set several tiles, then pull up one and examine the back, which should be uniformly
covered with adhesive. if it isn’t, you may have applied too thin a layer of thinset,
used a notched trowel with teeth that are too small, or mixed the thinset too thin.
if you are using large, handmade tiles such as Mexican pavers, they are often irregu-
lar, so you may need to butter additional adhesive onto their back surfaces before
setting. For buttering, use the straight edge of a trowel.
conversely, if adhesive oozes up between tiles, the notched trowel’s teeth are
probably too large; try
one with smaller teeth.
use a margin trowel to
remove excess thinset
between the tiles
before it hardens. left
in place, the thinset
between tiles would
prevent grout from fill-
1. This installer is lightly snapping a chalked control line
ing the joints and
that will run roughly through the midpoint of the
bonding properly.
doorway to the room’s opposite wall. In the background
are dark full tiles he initially positioned outward from
the wall to mark the eventual tile joint near the
doorway’s midpoint.
2.
468 chapter 16
be consistent when Placing tiles
When placing tiles in a grid, be
consistent. if, for example, you
place the top left sides of the first
tile directly on the intersecting
zzzzzz the First tile becomes a
template for the grid
chalklines of your grid, then your
Grout line
unit measurements must include
space for the width of grout joints
in the bottom right sides of that
Adjacent
tile. alternatively, some tilers pre-
grout line
fer to set back the top left sides of
the first tile one-half the thick-
ness of the grout joint. it doesn’t
Grout line
matter which placement you
choose, just that you be consis-
tent throughout the grid as you
measure out from already set tiles
to position new ones.
Chalklines
3. When corners aren’t square, start
in the middle of the room—where
control lines intersect—and work
toward the walls. As you near out-
of-square walls, cut tiles to fit. Avoid
sliding tiles into place. Instead, align
one edge to a control line or grout
joint, “hinge” the tile down, and press
it into the thinset.
5. After setting the field of full tiles,
4. As tile fills each quadrant, have a straightedge nearby attend to those that need cutting or
to see if tile edges line up, especially if thinset has
special fitting. The installer used a
obscured the chalklines.
wet saw to cut the two longer lines,
then a nipper to finish off the
rounded inner corner.
tiling
469
Once it was established that the chalkline was meet obstacles in the middle of the field, such as
parallel to the adjacent wall, they snapped a
a toilet closet flange. By cutting these tiles first,
chalkline onto the floor. Because it ran through
you can set them quickly and install other full
the middle of the doorway, that chalkline became tiles around them. Give the adhesive a day to
the primary control line. Holding a story pole next harden, and you’re ready to grout the surface.
to the chalkline, the crew then found a tiling-unit
Note: This description is much condensed. If
point that was roughly midway along the
you’re a perfectionist, you’ll fuss with the spacing
chalkline. Placing a framing square on this point, between tiles or between tile sheets and continue
the crew next snapped a second chalkline per-
making little adjustments until the job is done.
pendicular to the first: It became the secondary
Be sure to stand back from time to time for an
control line. In this manner, they divided the
overview of the layout.
room into quadrants roughly equal in size. By
measuring from these two control lines, using
oFFSetting tile JointS
the story pole, and sighting by eye, the crew
to add ViSual intereSt
could make sure that successive courses lined up. The layout method just described—using two pri-
The rest of such a layout is mostly fine-tuning, mary control lines set at right angles—is useful
with an eye to the four time-tested tips of tiling,
regardless of the tile shape you’re working with.
as outlined earlier: using full tiles at focal points,
When your tiles are rectangular rather than
cutting as few tiles as possible, making layouts as square, however, you may want to create a more
symmetrical as possible, and avoiding tiles less
interesting pattern by offsetting the end joints, as
than half size. For this, a story pole is essential.
shown in the photo at left below. (To compare
other examples of offset joints, see the brick pat-
Setting the tileS
terns on p. 219. The common bond pattern, with
Set full tiles before partial tiles. To get a rhythm
offset end joints, is far more interesting than the
going, most tilesetters first set all the full tiles,
stretcher bond, in which end joints all line up.)
then attend to partial tiles, which take time to cut
Offsetting tile end joints requires a slightly
and set. However, you may want to make com-
greater attention to detail, however, because if
plex cuts beforehand, for example, where tiles
you offset every other row of tiles, one of the con-
trol lines will be covered half of the time. This is
easier to see than to explain. The tiler in the
Installing an offset tile array is a bit trickier because every
other row of tiles will cover one of the control lines. Here,
the first tile in the first row sits within the intersecting
offsetting end joints so that they align every other row creates a more
chalklines, but the first tile in the second row is offset by
interesting pattern—especially when installing rectangular tiles.
8 in., covering the chalkline.
470 chapter 16
photo sequence is working with 8-in. by 16-in.
Countertops
slate tiles and offsetting each end joint by 8 in.
The front edge of a counter is almost always the
Therefore, end joints line up every other row. As
focal point. The primary control line runs pa
ral-
you can see in the bottom right photo on the fac-
lel to the front of the counter, and all other layout
ing page, the first tile in his first row fits nicely
lines are secondary to it. If the counter will be
into the intersection of the control lines; the first
subject to moisture, install a membrane before
tile in the second row overshoots the control line
installing a setting bed.
by 8 in.; the first tile in the third row lines up,
and so on.
Straight counter, no Sink
P R O T I P
Not to overthink things, but when one of your
control lines is covered half the time, you will
The simplest surface to lay out is a straight coun-
probably rely more on the control line that isn’t
thinset adhesive should be
ter with no sink because it has only one control
covered up (because it runs parallel to tiles’ long
moist enough to stick to the tile
line. Begin by using a framing square and a story
but not so wet that it slides off
sides). Our tiler seems to be doing just that. After pole to survey the countertop.
a trowel. if thinset skins over
setting his first row of tiles all the way to a wall,
“Counter Layout” on p. 474 assumes the coun-
while you’re setting tile, recomb
he uses a straightedge to check tile alignments
ter edges are finished with V-cap trim, a common
it with a notched trowel. but if it
and then weights down the straightedge so it won’t choice, and tile joints are 1⁄8 in. wide. Place several
gets stiff in the pan or it doesn’t
move as he adds and adjusts subsequent rows.
V-caps along the counter edge, then measure
stick readily to the tiles, discard
Installing each row is an ongoing process of
back from the edge 1⁄16 in. from each cap to mark
it and mix a fresh batch. likewise,
adjusting and aligning—using a tiler’s straight-
the middle of the first grout joint. Snap a
if you move a tile after the adhe-
edge, a measuring tape, a framing square—but
chalkline through these marks to establish a con-
sive has started to set, scrape
that’s true of any tiling job. And, of course, while
trol line. Because the front edge is the counter’s
the thinset off the back of the
you’re constantly checking tile positions against
focal point, you’ll place full field tiles next to the
tile and the setting bed, and
the two control lines, you must also keep an eye
row of V-caps.
apply fresh mortar to both
on the third dimension—how level the tiles are,
surfaces.
Using your story pole, measure the length of
as illustrated in the photo at right below. This job the counter to see if you must cut tiles. If one end
was particularly exacting because tile thicknesses of the counter abuts a wall and the other is open,
varied somewhat. So in addition to the layer of
plan a row of full tiles along the open end, thus
thinset he applied to the floor with a notched
consigning cut tiles to the wall end where they’ll
trowel, he also “buttered” the back of each tile,
using the trowel’s straight edge.
When tile thicknesses are slightly
irregular, butter the backs of tiles
with thinset adhesive in addition
to troweling adhesive on the floor.
That is, you’ll butter the backs of
all tiles, but apply varying thickness
of thinset.
In addition to checking the alignment
of tile joints to the two primary
The tiler sets the first row of tiles all
Periodically, use a framing square to
layout chalklines, use a straightedge
the way to the wall, places a
check to make sure end joints line up.
periodically to make sure tile faces
straightedge along the edge of the
The white spacers between tiles
are level.
row (at left), and weights down the
ensure the correct spacing for the
straightedge so the first row won’t
grout, which will be applied when the
move as he adds successive rows.
tiling is complete.
tiling
471
be less conspicuous. If both ends of the counter
FroM THE ArCHIVES
are open, and you see that you’ll need to cut tiles,
move the story pole so that cut tiles will be the
same dimension on both ends. That decided, mark
positions for the tile units along the control line.
Last, measure to the back of the counter to
determine whether the final row of tiles will need
cutting. You can precut tiles, but on a counter so
simple, you can just measure and cut partial tiles
individually after all the full tiles are set, likely
giving you more accurate measurements anyway.
Straight counter, With Sink
To tile a straight counter with a sink, the layout is
much the same as a counter without a sink,
except that here, your main concern is making
symmetrical tile cuts (if necessary) on either side
of the sink. If you need to cut tiles, move the
story pole side to side until the tile joints are
equidistant on each side of the sink’s rough
opening. Then transfer those two marks to the
control line. Finally, use a framing square to run
lines through those marks, perpendicular to the
control line, to the back of the counter.
l-ShaPed counter
On an L-shaped counter, you have in effect two
counters at right angles to each other, so you
will need two control lines, perpendicular to
each other, running along the front edge of each
section. Any other layout considerations are
subordinate to these two control lines because
they determine how the two oncoming tile fields
Because the front edge of a counter is the most visible, start layout
will align.
and installation there. Place V-cap trim along the front edge to position
Use your framing square and a straightedge to
successive courses of field tile. As you set each course of tile, use a
establish control lines and to keep the tiles
straightedge to align them.
aligned once you’ve turned the corner. After
setting V-cap trim tiles, start tiling where the two
control lines intersect. As with straight counters,
MoSAIC TIlE
After you’ve set paper-backed sheets of mosaic tile in
Use a grout float to seat mosaic tile in the thinset
adhesive, the paper will start to soften, allowing you to
adhesive. Choose knee pads that are comfortable enough
reposition the tiles slightly. To move a row of tiles, place
to wear for extended periods of time.
the straight edge of a trowel against them and tap the
trowel lightly with a hammer handle.
472 chapter 16
Waterproofing counter edges
installers often mistakenly overlook
countertop edges when installing the
waterproof membrane. a membrane is
especially important if you’re floating a
zzzzzz countertop Front and back edges
mortar bed because the moisture from
FRONT EDGE
BACK EDGE
Thinset
curing mortar is enough to swell unpro-
tected plywood edges and, in time,
1/2-in.
Backsplash
Self-sticking
backer board
cause V-cap trim to fall off. at the very
V-cap trim
metallic flashing
1 in. above
least, extend the membrane and wrap it
Thinset
Silicone caulk
tile level, minimum
down over the edge of the plywood sub-
Tile
strate. however, because building paper
folds unevenly and can create a welt
that won’t lie flat, a better solution is to
Expansion joint
cover counter edges with a self-sticking
Thinset
flashing such as Polyken Foilastic. it will
lie flat, it’s impervious to water, and
Self-sticking
Waterproofing
most thinsets will stick to it—but check
metallic flashing
membrane
3/4-in.
your thinset’s specs to be sure.
Waterproofing
exterior plywood
the back edge of a counter, where it
membrane
abuts a wall or backsplash, also is sus-
ceptible to water damage if not detailed
Flash the front edge of a counter, as shown, to prevent the exposed edges of the
correctly. run the waterproof membrane
plywood from wicking moisture from the thinset adhesives and then swelling. Because
the back edges of the countertops are also vulnerable to water damage, caulk and flash
all the way to the wall, then flash the
them, too.
countertop–wall joint using self-sticking
flashing. Fold the flashing lengthwise
(into an l), adhering one leg of the l to
the membrane and running the other
leg up the wall at least 1 in. above the
finish-tile level.
zzzzzz tiles at the Sink
DON’T DO THIS!
DO THIS!
1/4-width
3/4-width
tiles
tiles
1/2-width tiles
both sides
Symmetrical layouts look better. When a layout results in unequal tile widths
along the sides of a kitchen sink—a very noticeable spot—either shift the layout
Renovation 4th Edition Page 110